Deck Staining - Newcomer questions

Hello all: I am working on re-staining my deck. It had chipped away in many areas and was advised that I needed to re-stain the deck. I got a deck stain stripper from Lowe's and have used it together with a pressure washer at the recommended setting. Even after a second application, the stains are not coming out completely and I am not sure i see the benefit in an additional application.

The prior stain was a Behr Solid Color Stain (Deep Base No. 213) made of durable 100% acrylic latex. I am planning to use an comparable Olympic product. Any suggestions? Can I just paint over the existing stain?

Appreciate all feedback.

Thanks

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I never liked using solid color stains on deck surfaces and many products even counsel against using them this way. If you are committed to this though you don't have to get more than you have off so long as anything flaking is removed and you sand to blend in. Good solid color stains will go over it all and work so long as you have adhesion to start.

Give yourself a fighting chance and use anything but BEHR, Olympic or other box store stains. Sherwin Williams solid acrylic stains would be a better choice and I think they are running a great sale at the moment. You can get them tinted to any color.

With any solid stain product, expect to be at this again in 2-3 years. If you get more than that out of the material consider yourself lucky. If you plan for it you will be ready for the task when it comes up again.

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The acrylic is the problem, you need a much stronger stripper made of sodium hydroxide based. You do have to remove all the old finish because the new sealer will not properly penetrate and adhere sufficiently.
RUN FROM BEHR OLYMPIC or any box store stuff. Additionally I also would not use a solid stain on a deck. If you must go with solid look to Durastain from Wolmans or Cabots. Both cna be tinted to the color you desire.

I agree with captain, after stripping with a hydroxide stripper you will need to neutralize and restore the ph level of the wood which will also brighten the wood. Citralic is a good neutralizer after using a sodium hydroxide stripper. Durastain makes great stains. Our floor refinishing division uses Durastin products.

Matthewt1970 hit it on the head here!!
Sanding is the best way to rejuvenate a deck!

My "Construction-Heart" Redwood deck is now 16y/o, & Ive sanded the floor twice. I've removed the 18 (9 steps) THREE times and sanded them.
I recommend to our clients to use 60-grit on the floor/steps, and using a 12"x18"" flat vibrating-plate sander with 1" backer-pads.

(We sell Sikkens, Penofin, & ACE stains)

Sikkens recommended prep is sanding BTW!!

Ive got pics of my steps on another forum...Gardenweb, in the "Paint" thread.